KHUN SA AIDE ORDERED DETAINED

Extradition To US Will Take Two Months

The Criminal Court yesterday approved the detention without bail of a
former secretary of Khun Sa, pending his extradition to the United States
for trial on drug trafficking charges.

Yang Wan Hsuan, or Lao Tai, was arrested on Tuesday in Mae Sai district,
Chiang Mai, at the request of US authorities.

The prosecution report said the suspect and his accomplices had smuggled
large quantities of heroin to the US from 1984 to 1989. Lao Tai, 55, was a
close aide of former drug warlord Khun Sa and head of the Shan State Army
political affairs section.

The extradition procedure will take about two months.

A special drug unit could be set up at every police station nationwide to
suppress drug trafficking.

A police source said the unit would be separate from crime suppression
operations and would specifically tackle drug problems in each station's area.

Police chief Pol Gen Pornsak Durongkhaviboon assigned his deputy, Pol Gen
Sant Sarutanont, to head a 15-member panel looking at the idea.

Pol Lt-Gen Priewphan Damaphong, commissioner of the Narcotics Suppression
Bureau, said the search for drug traffickers operating on the Burmese
border would be stepped up.

More checkpoints were being set up at the request of US authorities who had
contributed hi-tech equipment to detect drugs, he said.